


Adventures of the Playpen

by quartermile



Category: All Time Low
Genre: Alex Drools, Alex Thinks Every Pacifier is His, Apparently I've written Jack as slightly older than Alex?, Babies, Baby, Baby Alex, Baby Jack - Freeform, Baby Jalex, Babyfic, Comfort Reading, Curtain Fic, Cute, Even if it's in Jack's Mouth, Fluff, Jack Pulls Hair, Kidfic, M/M, Naptime, No Sexual Content, Oneshot Series, babyjail, the babies aren't very sure what to think of each other at first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-02-13 01:57:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2132778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartermile/pseuds/quartermile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Throwing it back to baby Jalex. And when I say baby Jalex, I do mean baby. A serious of oneshots that could maybe read as a story about two little babies who's mothers are best friends. So they have to share baby jail (play pen).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Baby Alex is sitting happily in his playpen, chubby fingers pressing the mystical round things on a toy phone, his eyes widening every time the round things light up and make noise. He chews on his other hand, or gums it rather. It's maddening having none of those white things every adult mouth is full of. He thinks that those things somehow grant the big people yummy smelling food. But he's unsure. That's an adventure for another day.

He hears a commotion, his mom making the kinds of squealing noises she does every time he makes a face at her or blows bubbles with his mouth. He looks up momentarily to find the reason behind it but gives up quickly due to his inability to see past her at the door. 

He turns his attention back to his phone, moving to another of the round things, pushing on it before his attention is again drawn by his mother talking to him.

"Alexander, sweetheart, this is Jack! He's your new friend!" Both young women giggle then, chatting about something he isn't even worried about. All he is concerned with is when he eats, when he needs to go poo, and when it's time for nap nap.

Before he's even realized it, there's another baby sitting in his playpen beside him. He's slightly less chubby with super dark hair. So Alex does the only thing he can think of. He stares at him. He's not really used to seeing other people like him. Not up close anyway. Whenever there's people around that his mom says is family, they're mostly big people like her. The smallest ones are still a lot bigger, and they can talk and walk. He's only seen babies like him when his mom takes him out to the store.

The other baby grunts at him and Alex takes his hand out of his mouth, reaching for him with a drool covered hand. He grabs a handful of the other boy's shirt, tugging on it. Jack reaches out himself, grabbing a handful of Alex's blonde hair and pulling.

It's not very hard but since he's still not great at the whole keeping his balance thing, he falls over onto his back. He promptly starts to wail and both women giggle.

"Oh Jacky, we don't pull hair baby," Joyce scolds lightly, gently prying his fingers from the baby fine hair.

"Alex, sweetie, it's okay. You're okay, shhh," Isobel says in a soft voice, rubbing his belly. She's begun this whole 'self soothing' crap that his grandmother told her about so now she won't pick him up when he cries. It's madness.

He screams, trying his best to form some of the big fat tears that make her feel bad enough to pick him up. His attention is grabbed by the noise from the toy again and he stops crying, looking over to find the boy is interested in his phone. He starts to sit up to take it from him but in the process of his rolling over, he spots his pacifier. He reaches out, grabbing it and popping it in his mouth.

Once he rolls over onto his belly, he pushes himself back into a sitting position, finding himself directly facing Jack instead of sitting beside him. He watches him for a moment, seeing the boy completely engaged in playing with his phone. Instead of snatching it, he decides instead to watch him. He doesn't know this baby human and by what he understands of the grown ups actions and words, he's going to be around a lot. May as well get used to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Before he knows it, Alex finds himself being plopped into his highchair. He knows what that means. Food!

He sincerely hopes he doesn't have to share his food with the other kid. He doesn't know him well enough for that, and he sure isn't going to share his bottle. He'd bite him. Sure, it may not hurt at all, but it's the principal of the thing.

As Alex is buckled into his highchair, Jack is placed in Alex's bumbo for his food. Alex still isn't sure what to think of this all. He's the baby of this house. He's the one that gets ooh and ahh'd over. 

He sucks on his fingers as he waits for food to appear, not having to wait long before his mom sits in front of him, a brightly colored spoon in a jar. He opens his mouth immediately, grunting when the spoon isn't placed inside at once. 

"Hold on, Chubby Butt," Isobel teases lightly, laughing softly as she spoons a bite of the food into his mouth. It only takes him a half a second to realize it is peas, his least favorite. He makes a face, scrunching it up before blowing a raspberry and letting the goo run down his chin.

He hears a giggle then, his eyes finding Jack who's giggling loudly at him so he blows another one. The loud noise keeps the other boy's giggles going. Whoever said babies laughter isn't contagious was a liar because Alex starts giggling as well, blowing air between his lips again which really just turns into him spitting everywhere. 

Jack slaps his hands on the sides of the bumbo in glee, spitting out his own mouthful of food which makes Alex giggle louder. 

"Alexander William! We don't spit out our food, baby!" His mom scolds lightly, grabbing a burp cloth to wipe his mouth but he moves his head from side to side. He hates getting his mouth wiped. He stuffs his fist into his mouth, chewing on his fingers and getting pea-drool all over his hand and wrist.

"Isobel, you may as well just let him make a mess. He'll get messier as he eats," Joyce tells her, cracking a grin as she catches some of Jack's carrots from his chin with the spoon.

"You have a point," she agrees, laying the burp cloth on the tray of the high chair and letting Alex settle down as she and Joyce lapse into a conversation, the two boys making noises at one another. It's interesting how fast spitting food out can make you a friend, huh?

Just as Alex starts to get restless sitting in his highchair, his mom finally unbuckles him after cleaning his face with a baby wipe which had nearly started a tantrum. She changes his diaper and cradles him in her arms, nudging his lips with the bottle he hadn't even seen her make. 

He forgets about the other two people in his house for a bit as he starts to drink his bottle. The next thing he knows, he's asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Jack working together to get rescued from baby jail!

After a nice dream about colors and shapes, Alex wakes up, finding his pacifier just barely sitting in his mouth. He rolls over and pushes himself into a sitting position before falling straight back over, his head still being too heavy from sleep to hold up. He turns his head to the side so he can breathe, peering around.

He finds that he's not alone in his crib. Jack had been apparently laid beside him to sleep, but he's awake as well, sitting up in the corner sucking on the edge of his blanket contentedly.

Alex pushes himself up again, this time staying upright. He notices immediately that his bottom isn't dry and he curls his bottom lip as he starts to cry. Jack watches him for a moment before dropping the blanket, his face scrunching as he also lets out a wail.

He watches through the bars of the crib, waiting for his mom to come in to get him. It doesn't take long for the two women to appear and Alex holds his arms up to be picked up, opening and closing his hands. 

He stops full on crying once he's lifted from the crib though he continues to whine, just bordering on crying.

"He needs to be changed," he hears his mom say and he jerks his head around to find the source of her voice, finding she's holding the other baby. He turns back to find that obviously, it isn't his mom who's arms he is in but Jack's. 

He doesn't care too much since he's out of that godforsaken baby jail the adults call a crib, just as long as his booty gets dried. Although he really doesn't like that his mommy is holding another baby. She's a traitor.

Once his diaper is changed and he is clean and dry, he stops whining, popping his thumb into his mouth since somewhere in the process, he'd lost his pacifier. When Joyce picks him back up, he relents easily and lays his head against her. He has to say, her chest makes quite a great pillow.

"You are such a sweet boy," she coos, bouncing him lightly and running her hand over his head, laying down his soft hair that'd been sticking up on one side from his sleep. 

"Does he sleep through the night yet?" she asks his mom.

"Sometimes. Around four months old he'd gotten to where he would, but then he got sick and that messed up his sleeping schedule and since then he's gotten where he wakes up again. Just once or twice." she explains, "What about Mr. Jacky here?"

"He has for a couple of weeks now. He usually sleeps through the night but occasionally he'll wake up once for a bottle," Joyce answers, smiling and lightly pinching her son's cheek, "My big boy."

Once he gets the attention from his mom, Jack reaches his hands out for her and grunts. She laughs and uses her other arm to take him from Isobel and set him on her hip. 

"Should I take him?" Isobel asks and she shakes her head, "No, I've got it, girl."

"Are you two having fun together?" She coos, bouncing them both a little.

Alex leans forward a little, taking his fingers from his mouth and reaching for Jack's pacifier with a wet hand. He manages to get it, snatching it from Jack's mouth and popping it in his, sucking on it.

"Alexander William, that is not nice," Isobel scolds lightly but Alex doesn't care. At the age he is, he's still a little too young to grasp the concept of not every pacifier around his house is not his. 

Joyce laughs lightly, "It's fine, really. Jacky doesn't care too much for it. He'll suck on it if it's there but he doesn't have to have it or anything. I just give it to him because it helps him stay asleep and keeps him content during car rides."

"What? A baby not attached to his pacifier? Alex, do you hear that?" Isobel teases, ruffling the blonde hair on her sons head, "This boy doesn't let his get further than ten feet from him."

She acts like it's a big thing, but Alex is a really good baby, just as Jack is. He's content to be by himself well, never really, but he doesn't cry much and he's generally very happy. He just likes his pacifier.


	4. Chapter 4

By the end of the week, Joyce had taken to going to see her friend Isobel daily. They are both stay at home moms, after all. This also means daily visits for the two children.

By the end of said week, Alex still isn't quite sure what to make of the newcomer in his house every day, though he finds himself whining when the boy is taken from his playpen to go home. He can't really say why but he finds himself missing his new friend over the weekend while families are out together and he's with his parents.

He does enjoy the days his daddy is around. He likes playing the game he calls airplane and getting to fly around in the air. He didn't know babies could fly!

He gets to see a lot of people on that day, people he's pretty sure are his family. He gets passed around and cooed at a lot. His Aunt Karen even lets him taste the brightly colored stuff on the top of what they call a cupcake. His mommy yells at her for it but she just laughs and coos at him again.

"Is he getting teeth yet?" His grandma asks now that she's gotten him and he suddenly finds a finger in his mouth, rubbing along his gums. He wished he had more than just one sharp edge poking through so he could bite her. It would serve her right for sticking her finger into his mouth. His mom always says other people's germs are too big for him since he's young. Doesn't this woman get that?

"Not yet but he's getting one. It's just starting to poke through," she answers, cringing a little herself, "It bothers him some but it isn't too bad yet."

Alex whines a little. He wants his mommy or his Aunt Karen. Someone who isn't going to shove their finger in his mouth looking for teeth. Luckily though, his grandmother sits him on the deck and he pushes himself onto his hands and knees, crawling over to his Aunt Karen. His mom has gotten up not, messing in his diaper bag so he hopes she's getting him a bottle ready. He likes those.

He lets himself fall back onto his bottom, grunting up at her and reaching his arms up, opening and closing his hands. She laughs and leans down, picking him and holding him up in the air slightly, "Alexander, you are such a handsome little man." she says.

He lets out a squeal, grinning at he stuffs his hand into his mouth to chew on. He loves to be adored. And these people keep giving him plenty of it. He loves it.

He likes his family and the time to spend with his daddy, but he kind of wants to know where his Jack is at.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Alex is dressed up in fancy clothes before he's taken to some place where a bunch of people coo over him before they all sit in long seats and listen to some man talk. He spits up on his outfit halfway through. Oops.

That night, he gets to watch football with his daddy on the couch which ends up with his mom yelling at his dad because he'd yelled out in victory over the game which made Alex cry. Then his daddy mumbled something about 'women' and gave him a speech over how when he grows up, he better make sure whoever he marries likes football, too. 

He thinks maybe he should keep that in mind.

Before too long, Alex gets his nightly bottle and falls asleep on the couch with his dad. He only wakes up twice during the night; once for a bottle and once because he had a poo diaper. He really doesn't like those.

The next morning, they fall back into their weekday morning routine. Alex is sitting on his blanket on the floor in front of the tv playing cartoons that has him fascinated by bright colors when the front door opens. Normally he isn't concerned at all with it, but right now, he's trying to find out where his friend is. 

Exactly what he'd been expecting and maybe hoping, he spots the brunette woman walking into the house, baby on her hip. He screeches immediately, lifting his small arms toward the pair. Okay, maybe he likes the kid more than he thought. At least he's someone who's his age and gets what he means when he grunts or whines.

Okay, maybe it's not quite so bad to not be the only baby that is being cooed over.

He decides right then that he does like Jack. He'd found that even attending all of the events of the weekend with his parents, he'd really missed sharing his playpen with the other baby, even though he dislikes the baby jail.

Jack claps his hands on him as soon as he's sat down beside him, smacking him on his arm and chest but he doesn't mind too much. Jack is much more of a vocally happy baby and Alex finds him amusing. In fact, he makes him laugh quite often.

Alex wants to show Jack he's happy to see him as well, just as Jack had, so he tries to give Jack a kiss like he's seen the big people do - he hears that's a way to show affection. Unfortunately all he manages to do is open his mouth against Jack's onesie covered shoulder before promptly falling on his face in the playpen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long, guys! I love you all and I hope you're still interested in this story!

Alex's first time to the park with Jack is quite the event, one would say. The boy is so sunshine-y, it sort of makes up for Alex's slightly more mellow nature. Alex is more observant, quietly watching the world around him in wonder. Their mom's have made the joking comment that they're like two different sides to one person.

The moms make the park out to be a huge manner of fun for the boys. Admittedly, it would be if they were old enough to walk on their own. But give that they aren't, much of the colorful equipment is off limits for them. Joyce does take them both on the slides twice each but it was over too quick for Alex to much care for it.

Though he does quiet enjoy the swings, he thinks that's what his mother called them. They looked quite scary but once he was seated in the thing that held him in, it was quite fun. He still really wants to chew on the ropes over by the small bridge.

He squeals and claps, giggling as he swings back and forth, his mother pushing him gently. Though she does pull it to a stop once to tell him to stop chewing on the rubber holding him in. Apparently the whole world isn't as clean as his own house. He can believe it, the rubber didn't taste very good, but it did feel soothing against his gums.

The real problem was, about a half an hour after the group arrived at the park, a big furry thing runs over. Both moms pet the thing, so Alex isn't too worried. Then it gets far too close to him. 

And then it licks his toes!

His toes!

He can't even believe it! He jerks his feet away at once, curling back against the swing as he tries to pull his legs through the holes, starting to cry immediately with a loud wail.

He holds his arms up for his mama as big tears splash down his cheeks but she only laughs -the traitor - softly and talks to the other big person who attaches a long rope to the thing. 

The thing pushes it's nose against him again before the other big person tugs it back. He tries even harder to pull his legs back up into to swing and is luckily saved when Joyce lifts him out, starting to bounce him on her hip. He clutches her shirt in his tiny hands, curling up his legs as much as he can to make sure he's away from the thing.

"Isobel, I'm going to get an ice cream to share with the boys," she tells her, his mom nodding with a smile. She must know the other big person, but he still feels betrayed. Sure, he may not (or may) have been in danger, but she could have at least pushed the thing away or thrown it in the garbage.

"You don't like dogs, do you, Alex?" Joyce asks him with her normal soft voice. He can see Jack down in his stoller and he briefly wonders when she'd done that before he's back to making sure the thing- dog? isn't near him.

He watches the lady working concessions coo over both he and Jack as she hands Joyce something that looks very delicious, what he assumes is this ice cream. Once she pays, she takes them over to a small table and parks the stroller, sitting on a bench and sitting him on her lap. She takes a bite of the ice cream before offering Jack a small bite, who takes it with a pulled face but seems to enjoy it anyway.

Okay; he can trust Jack's judgement, so when Joyce offers him some, he takes it readily. 

Mistake.

Or maybe not. It's cold enough that it makes a shiver run over his body, but it tastes delicious! Only a little thicker than his baby food and it taste so much better. 

"Mm," he hums, opening his mouth for another spoonful but Joyce takes one instead, grinning at him, "Wait your turn, little guy."

He's not quite sure what that means, so he reaches out with his chubby fingers and intercepts the spoon before it makes it into her mouth, grabbing a handful of the cold stuff and stuffing it into his mouth with a grin before she can take it away.

Dogs? No.

Ice cream? Yes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting a tooth is hard work!

Alex doesn’t sleep well for a few nights. He isn’t sure why, just that he’s uncomfortable.

On the third morning, he figures it out. He’s not just uncomfortable anymore. He’s drooling a lot more than usual, not like he minds that. But his mouth _hurts._

His gums itch and he wants to chew on everything, but that kind of makes it hurt worse. If he doesn’t chew, his gums itch, but if he chews, it hurts. So he just settles for crying.

His mommy coos at him and holds him all morning; bouncing him on her knees or hips, walking him around the house, swaying him from side to side, or just holding him while she sits on the couch watching her morning shows. That does make him stop crying but he does whine a lot.

He finds himself not really wondering if Jack is coming over today.

He just really doesn’t feel good.

He feels hot. He hears his mommy telling someone on her gadget thing that he’s forgotten the name of that he’s got something called a fever. That worries him a little but he hears her says it’s normal when growing teeth.

Ah, teeth. What everyone keeps asking his mommy if he’s getting yet. So that’s what this is? This is what you have to deal with to get those (he now knows that’s what the white things in grown-ups mouths are called)?

Do not want. Do. Not. Want.

He’s chewing on his hand and whining as he does it when his mommy gets up, placing him on the floor – which makes him wail – before coming back and sitting on the floor with him. She pulls him onto her lap and opens a tube. She tells him it’s numbing cream for baby teeth. He’s not sure what that means really but he’ll roll with it. Doesn’t bother him any, right?

Wrong. He’s distracted with a tiny piece of paper on the floor that he’s trying to pick up when suddenly he has a finger in his mouth (what’s with grown-ups and sticking their finger in his mouth!) with something awful on it. 

It’s gooey and sticks to his gums. It tastes really strong but while that’s awful, he can’t decide if the taste is all together bad or good. It does make him scrunch up his face though and try to move away but she holds him in place, rubbing her finger over his gums.

Okay, that does feel better. It helps the itch but doesn’t hurt. His mommy is the best.

No wait! She takes her hand back. 

Alex starts to whine again but then he realizes his mouth feels funny. It kind of tingles and then he can’t feel it anymore.

He doesn’t like that until he realizes that that means he can’t feel the itchy feeling or the hurt anymore. 

Okay yeah, his mommy really is the best.

He isn’t sure when he went to sleep but he does know that when he wakes from his nap and mommy brings him out of his room, Jack and his mommy are here. They’re talking about teeth.

Thinking about it makes Alex whine. He’s kind of feeling the itchy on his gums again. His whole mouth just feels sore.

“-Didn’t want to use the Orajel all of the time. I just felt like it was too much. I know it’s not toxic,” Joyce is saying, “but it’s still chemicals, you know. I just don’t feel comfortable using it all the time and I know it wears off quick with all the drool.”

Alex’s mommy hum an affirmative.

“Those refrigerated teething rings work good before the tooth starts cutting through, it cools their gums. But the cold is too hard on their sensitive baby teeth. It made Jack cry harder when he started getting his first one. Since he started early and I was really worried about using the numbing cream, I found that a warm washcloth works well. Just give it to him to chew on. The material scratches at their gums but it’s hard enough to hurt and it soothes their little teethies,” she explains.

His mommy sits him on the floor and he finds himself face to face with Jack. He gives a shout of excitement when he sees him, leaning over and taking the pacifier from Jack’s mouth. He’s only just about to get it to his mouth when his mommy is back and it’s being given back to Jack.

Hey! He thought it was his!

“Here you go, Lexy baby,” his mommy says, handing him one of the things she washes him with when he takes a bath. He likes to chew on those.

This time, though, when he moves it towards his mouth, she doesn’t stop him, just sits back down on the couch and starts talking to Joyce.

So he chews. It feels really good.

**Author's Note:**

> trying to give them an interesting thought process. I imagine a baby's mind to be simultaneously simple and incredibly in depth. Thoughts? What do you guys think a baby's mind is like? I'm interested in your opinions.


End file.
